Stapling pliers



Aug, 12, 1941. s. A. CROSBY4 2,251,915

STALLING lPLIIERS Filed April 26, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Aug.12, 1941. s. A. CROSBY STAPLING PLIERS Filed April 26, v1958 2Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVNTOR. l

BY l

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 12, 1941 STAPLING PLIERS Stephen A. Crosby, New York, N.Y., assigner to Speed Products Company, Long Island City,

Application April 26, 1938, Serial No. 204,288

15 Claims.

The invention relates to a stapling machine of the type particularlyadapted to be utilized as plier or tacker and an object thereof isrealized in the provision of an improved and serviceable plier wherein astaple carrying arm is interposed and pivotally sustained between a pairof swingably associated upper and lower complements or handles, theupper of which is operatively connected to a slidable plunger fordriving a staple from a vertical staple driveway of the magazine of thearm while the lower oomplement or base of the pair swingably carries aspring controlled cradle having means for automatically butdisengageably interlocking with the staple carrying magazine of the armin which event if the lower complement is swung relatively towards themagazine, staple indentations of an anvil fixedly sustained by the baseis caused to be in vertical alinement with the vertical staple drivewayof the magazine to receive and deform the staple on leaving the stapleraceway. Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention willbe more readily understood from the teachings of the following detaileddescription considered in the light of the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the hand staple plier according to myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating the staple carryingarm uncoupled from the anvil carrying and swingable base.

Fig. 3 is a vertical and longitudinal sectional view of Fig. l shownpartly broken away.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the driving connection between the upperhandle and staple driving plunger.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an exploded View showing the leaf spring, the rockable cradle,and the fulcrum pin against which the cradle is pivotally and yieldinglyheld by the leaf spring.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view on the line '1 1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a plan View of the latch for disconnectably locking the coverand magazine of the split arm.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on the line l-I of Fig. 7.

Fig. 11 is an open perspective View of the plier.

Fig. 12 is a sectional View on the line l2--l2 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 13 is a sectional view on the line {3-13 of Fig. 3.

The plier according to the invention includes a frame F constituting apair of handles comprising an upper component or actuator Il) and alower component or base l. Depending ilared ears I2 of component lll andthe upstanding liared ears I3 of component Il are pivotally mounted onthe upset fulcrum pin it which also pivotally sustains spaced ears I5depending from the rear part of cover IS of the staple carrying armgenerally denoted l1, and the spaced ears i8 extending upwardly at therear of the magazine I9 of the arm. Thus by the present arrangement thecomplements of the frame F may be swung towards or away from the arm ll.It will be noted that the ends o1" inwardly curved spring clip Irlresiliently retained on pin lll cooperates with the enlarged portionslli ofthe latter and the inner faces of the depending ears i5 to preventlongitudinal displacement of this fulcrum pin.

Approximately mounted within magazine I9 is a rail 20 defining with thefront wall 2| of the arm Il a vertical staple receiving driveway 22adapted to receive the foremost staple 23 of the staple strip 2dslidably guided on rail 2%. For urging the foremost staple of the stripinto vertical alinement with the driveway 22, a spring controlledchannel shaped follower 25 is provided and a struck out eye 26 of thefollower is threaded onto an end coil 2l of helicoidal spring 28 whichhas an intermediate portion trained over a rotatable roller 29 mountedon a shaft 3l) slidaloly guided in the spaced gaps 3l in sides 38 of therear channel shaped member 39 forming the rear part of the cover IS.

The upper end. 34 of the helicoidal spring 24 has one or more coils 35hooked on offset projection 36 of a block 31 fixedly secured to one side38 of the channel shaped member 3S.

Slidably guided in the spaced slots 3l of the sides 32 of front channelshaped member 33 and the horizontally alined slots 3| in the front partof cover 39 is a latch 4l! having laterally extending convenientlyaccessible wings 4l. With the cover closed in respect to the magazine asshown in Fig. 1, intermediate parts 42 (Fig. 9) of the latch arereceived in alined gaps 42 of the upstanding wings 43 extending upwardlyfrom the sides of the magazine I9, that is, in the closed relation ofthe magazine and cover helicoidal spring 28 normally urges slidablelatch Ml rearwardly to interlock vwith the wings 43, howeverconcomitantly urging the slidable follower 25 forwardly to urge thestaple strip forwardly and dispose the foremost staple in alinement withthe vertical raceway 22.

Slidably guided by the cover I5 is a channel shaped plunger 44 (Fig. 4)which carries a staple ejecting blade 45. This plunger is normally heldelevated by end 46 of leaf spring 41 abutting lugs 48 of the sides 5) ofthe channel shaped plunger 44. This leaf spring ll'i has its other end56 suitably fixed to a mount 5I fixed within the cover I6.

Fixedly secured to the front offset manipulator head 52 of the swingableactuator or handle I6 is a channel shaped bracket or coupling 53 havingsides 54 each provided with a recess 55 for receiving and interlockingwith inwardly turned lugs 56 projecting from sides 49 of the plunger. Iftherefore a downwardly directed blow is imp-arted to the manipulatinghead 52, bracket 53 causes lugs 55 to be shifted downwardly andconsequently the plunger is driven in a corresponding direction. f

If the plunger is moving downwardly, the blade 45 meets the foremoststaple and drives the latter through the raceway and the legs of thedriven staple penetrate papers or the like interposed between t'he fixedanvil 5'! and the magazine. Ultimately the lugs of the ejected staplemeet the clinching indentations 58 and the staple becomes appropriatelydeformed for fastening purposes.

According to the invention, a cradle 6I) (Fig. 6) isrotatably orpivotally associated with the base or lower handle I I of-the frame F todisconnectably interlock with the magazine. For this purpose, a fixedfulcrum pin 6I is employed. This fulcrum pin is fastened to ears I3 ofthe base II. The cradle is in the form of a channel shaped member andcomprises a base 52 seated on the free end of the cantilever leaf spring63 having its forward end 64 anchored by rivets 65 to the swingable baseI I. Sides 660i the cradle each include a slot or bearing 61 forreceiving reduced portions 68 cf fulcrum pin, and when assembledportions of the sides 66 adjacent slots 6l pivotally and looselyinterlock with the grooves defining the reduced portions 68 and the leafspring 63 normally holds stop 69 against the fixed pin 6I. Thus thecradle is held ina normally raised position.

The cradle is also provided with an upstanding latch 'Ill having aforwardly curved or inclined lip 'II, and spaced notches 'I2 definingthe reduced portion 73. Extending forwardly of the sides of the cradleare the projections 'IfI each having a laterally extending lug or fingermanipulator '15.

With the magazine disconnected from latch 'E0 as shown in Fig. 2 thecover may be swung relative to the base in which event the cover may beused as a tacker. If the cover be swung towards the base shoulders 'I6defining a portion of the narrow opening 'i7 in the bottom wall rof themagazine I9, simultaneously abut the curved lip 'HI of the latch T8,causing the latter to be tilted forwardly and the manipulating fingers'f5 downwardly, that is, the cradle is slightly rotated in acounterclockwise direction until the rectilinear part 'i8 of the latchstarts t0 abut faces 79' of the spaced shoulders 'I6 in which case thehead 'II of the latch is received in the enlarged or expanded squareshaped opening 80 which together with the narrow or restricted opening'I constitute a T shaped openingV or slot. Therefore further movementofthe arm of the magazine towards the base causes shoulders 'I6 of themazazine to ultimately line up with slotsV 'I2 of the latch i foremoststaple.

in which case spring 63 releases its energy, the cradle is rotated in aclockwise direction, causing the reduced portion 'i3 of the latch to bereceived by the narrow opening 'I'I of the magazine I9 and the shoulders'I6 to be received by slots 12 of the latch l0, and the rear transverseface 'I9 of the narrow opening 'I'I constitutes stop means to limitclockwise movement of the cradle as is evident from Figs. 3 and 8.

To disengage the latch of the cradle from the magazine either of themanipulating fingers 'I5 which are conveniently accessible and extendlaterally of the magazine may be depressed, causing the cradle to berotated in a counterclockwise direction against the energy of leafspring 63 until the reduced portion 'i3 of the latch is free of spacedshoulders 'I6 of the magazine in which case the inclined lip il of thelatch is within wide or expanded opening B and thus becomes free of themagazine, or in other words, the latter is unlocked from the magazine,and may be swung relative to the base.

Where it is desired to open the arm I 'I to obtain access to the rail,this can be accomplished by first shifting latch 46 forwardly todisconnect the latter from the magazine, then swinging the cover awayfrom the magazine in which event access may be had to the rail. If thecover be swung rearwardly, the staple follower is automaticallyretracted. If the cover be swung towards the magazine cam surfaces 8| ofwings 43 cause latch 48 to shift forwardly until portions 42 of thelatter line up with slots 42 of the wings 43 whereupon the action of thehelicoidal spring causes the roller 29 to retract and shift portions 42into slots 42' of wings lit. In this way the cover and magazine areautomatically locked and preparatory to such locking action tongue 82 ofthe cove1` fits into notch 83 of the magazine to facilitate properpositioning of the cover in respect to the magazine.

As previously pointed out the swingable complements of frame F areutilized in the matter of effecting the discharge and deforming of aForv purposes of specification, these complements may be considered asswingable curved handles which if moved towardsv each other when thelower complement is locked by the cradle and when the split arm I'I isclosed, operate to position the clinchingv indentations of the anvilunder staple driveway while the plunger drives the foremost staple outof the arm to be deformed by the anvil. These handles are also properlyshaped to be conveniently grasped by one hand of the operator and aftereach clinching operation, the handles are automatically moved outwardlyto their normal position by the leaf springs 47 and 63.

When the cradle is locked to the magazine, walls 84 and 85 of slots 12of the latch thereof, straddle shoulders 'I6 of the magazine. Iftherefore the magazine is moved downwardly shoulders 'I6 abut walls 84thus causing the latch to be .shifted downwardly against the energy ofspring seat 63. This action takes place on each downward stroke of the-driver if the cradle be inter-V locked with the magazine and althoughthe cradle is idly shifted downwardly advantage is taken ofV this actionin that the spring seat 63 is flexed, and su-ch stored energy isutilized to automatically return the swingable base II to its normalposition when hand pressure be removed Yfrom the handles an-d yduringsuch automatic retraction shoulders 'I6 abut walls 85 of the spacedslots 'I2 of the latch 'I8 of the cradle.

As many changes could be made in the above described construction andmany widely different species orstructural embodiments could be devisedwithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matterhereinbefore described in the specication and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

l. In combination, an upper handle comprising a head and a downwardlysloping rear portion, a lower handle comprising an upwardly sloping rearportion received and strad-dled by said downwardly sloping portion, astaple carrying arm comprising a magazine and a cover interposed betweensaid handles and having a rear part lhoused by said sloping portions,spring controlled staple driving. means slidably guided by said arm,fulcrum means pivotally sustaining said sloping portions and saidmagazine and cover, movable locking means for disconnectably securingsaid magazine and cover, coupling means interconnecting said upperhandle and driving means, a staple clinching anvil carried by said lowerhandle, and locking means sustained by said lower handle for-disconnectably engaging said arm.

2. In combination, an upper handle comprising a head and downwardlysloping rear portion, a lower handle comprising an upwardly sloping rearportion, a staple carrying arm interposed between said handles andhaving a rear part housed by said sloping portions, spring controlledstaple driving means slidably guided by said arm, fulcrum meanspivotally sustaining said sloping portions and said rear part, drivenmeans interconnecting said upper handle and driving means, a stapleclinching anvil carried by said lower handle, a rockable cradlesustained on said lower handle and having means for disengageablyinterlocking with said arm, and a spring seat for said rockable cradle.

3. In combination, an upper handle comprising a head and downwardlysloping rear portion, a lower handle comprising an upwardly sloping rearportion, a staple carrying arm interposed between said handles andhaving a rear part housed by said sloping portions and including amagazine comprising an expanded and a restricted opening incommunication, spring controlled I staple driving means slidably guidedby said arm, iulcrum means pivotally sustaining said sloping portionsand said rear part, coupling means interconnecting said upper handle anddriving means, a stapling clinching anvil carried by said lower handle,rockable locking means pivotally sustained on said lower handle andcomprising a base having an upstanding latch having means adapted toenter said expanded opening and means for interlocking with saidmagazine adjacent said restricted opening, and a spring sustained bysaid lower handle for resiliently supporting said base.

4. In combination, an upper handle comprising a head and downwardlysloping rear portion, a lower handle comprising an upwardly sloping rearportion, a staple carrying arm interposed between said handles andhaving a rear part housed by said sloping portions and including amagazine having a large opening and a narrow opening in communication,spring controlled staple driving means slidably guided by said arm,fulcrum means pivotally sustaining said sloping portions and the rearpart of said arm, coupling means interconnecting said upper handle anddriving means, a staple .clinching-'anvil carried by said lower handle,cradle locking means sustained on said lower handle and having anupstanding .latch provided with a terminal inclined portion for abuttingsaid magazine when entering said large opening and including a reducedportion adapted to be received in said narrow opening, and spring meansfor urging said reduced portion against a wall of said narrow opening.

5. In combination, an upper handle comprising an offsethead anddownwardly sloping rear portion, a lower handle comprising an upwardlysloping rear portion received and straddled by said downwardly slopingportion, a staple carrying arm interposed between said handles andhaving a rear part housed by said sloping portions, spring controlledstaple driving means slidably guided by said arm, fulcrum meanspivotally sustaining said sloping portions and the rear part of saidarm, coupling means interconnecting said upper handle and driving means,a staple clinching anvil carried by said lower handle, other fulcrummeans carried by said lower handle, a cradle having means rotatablyguided by said other fulcrum meansy a latch carried by said cradle, anda spring `for holding said cradle against said other fulcrum means.

6. In combination, an upper handle comprising a head and downwardlysloping rear and flared portion, a lower handle comprising an upwardlysloping rear and iiared portion telescopically associated with saiddownwardly sloping portion, a staple carrying arm interposed betweensaid handles and having a rear part housed by said sloping portions,spring controlled staple driving means slidably guided by said arm,fulcrum means pivotally sustaining said sloping portions .and sai-d rearpart, coupling means interconnecting said upper handle and drivingmeans, a staple clinching anvil carried by said lower handle, rockablelocking means sustained by said lower handle for disconnectably engagingsaid arm, and spring means for yieldingly supporting said rockablelocking means.

7. In combination, a magazine having spaced sides, a handle, meanspivotally sustaining said magazine and said handle, fulcrum means, and acradle pivotally sustained against said fulcrum means and having anupstanding latch for interlocking with said magazine and havingforwardly projecting means including finger gripping means extendinglaterally and outwardly of the body of said cradle and laterally andoutwardly of said sides and adjacent thereto for actuating said latch toremove the latter from interlocking relation with said magazine.

8. In combination, a magazine having spaced sides, a handle, meanspivotally sustaining said magazine and said handle, a spring carried bysaid handle, a rockable cradle supported by said spring and having latchmeans for disconnectably locking said magazine, spaced extensionsintegral with said latch means and projecting forwardly thereof, andfinger gripping means projecting from said extensions and extendinglaterally and outwardly of said sides and adjacent the latter for bodilyactuating said cradle for disconnecting said latch means from saidmagazine.

9. In combination, a staple carrying magazine having a bottom wall, ahandle, means pivotally sustaining said magazine and said handle, -aleaf spring carried by said handle, fulcrum means traversing saidhandle, and a rockable cradle supported by said spring pivotally againstsaid fulcrum means and having latch means for disconnectablyinterlocking with said magazine and accessible ringer gripping meansdisposed forwardly ofV said latch means and extending laterally andoutwardly of said wall to overhang said handle intermediate the latterand said magazine whereby said cradle may be bodily actuated forunlocking said latch means from said magazine.

10. The combination according to claim `8 wherein said cradle is achanneled member having spaced and notched sides pivotally sustainedagainst said fulcrurn means and said finger gripping means beingdisposed forwardly of said latch means and comprises spaced lipsextending laterally and outwardly of said spaced sides of said magazineand between said handle and magazine, and said spring yieldingly urgingsaid notched sides -against said fulcrum means.

11. In combination, a staple carrying magazine having spaced sides, ahandle, means pivotally sustaining said magazine and said handle, a leafspring carried by said handle, fulcrum means carried by said handle,`and a rockable cradle supported `by said spring pivotally against saidfulcrum means and having latch means for disconnectably interlockingwith said magazine, and accessible finger gripping means projecting fromsaid cradle and disposed forwardly of said latch means between saidmagazine and handle and extending laterally and outwardly of saidmagazine to overhang said handle for disconnecting said latch means fromsaid magazine.

12. In combination, an upper handle comprising a head and downwardlysloping rear and ared portion, a lower handle comprising an upwardlysloping rear and flared portion swing-ably straddled by said downwardlysloping portion, a staple carrying arm interposed between said handlesand having a rear part housed by said sloping portions, staple drivingmeans slidably guided by said arm, and fulcrum means pivotallysustaining said sloping portions and said rear part.

13. In combination, an upper hollow handle comprising a head anddownwardly sloping rear and ilared portion having spaced lips, a lowerhandle comprising an upwardly sloping rear and ilared portion havingspaced lips movably straddled by said spaced lips of said downwardlysloping ared portion, a staple carrying arm interposed between saidhandles and having a rear part movably straddled by said lips, stapledriving means slidably guided by said arm, and fulcrum means pivotallysustaining said sloping portions and said rear part.

14. In combination, an upper handle comprising a head and downwardlysloping rear and ared portion having spaced lips, a lower handlecomprising an upwardly sloping rear and flared portion having spacedlips straddled by said spaced lips of said downwardly sloping portion, astaple carrying arm interposed between said handles and having a rearpart straddled and housed by said lips, staple driving means slidablyguided -by said arm, fulcrurn means pivotally sustaining said slopingportions and said rear part, staple driving means carried by said arm,and a connection between said head and driving means. v

15. In combination, an upper handle comprising a head and downwardlysloping rear and flared portion, a lower handle comprising an upwardlysloping rear and flared portion straddled bysaid downwardly slopingportion, a staple carrying arm interposed between said handles andhaving a rear part housed by said sloping portions, staple driving meansslidably guided by said arm, and fulcrum means common to said handlesand arm for pivotally sustaining said sloping portions and said rearpart.

STEPHEN A. CROSBY.

